The present invention relates to an improved carrier for bread or the like. More particularly the invention provides a carrier which can be folded in a space saving stacked arrangement.
The prior art bread carriers have been constructed either of metal, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,778 issued to Nawman et al., or of plastic, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,495 issued to Drader. The metal carriers enjoy the advantages of rigidity and strength and durability, while the plastic carriers provide these advantages adequately at a lower manufacturing cost.
Bread carriers generally comprise a rectangular tray having a pair of carrying bails pivotally connected in the side walls at oppositely disposed ends of the tray. For space saving purposes, the height of the peripheral walls on the tray is minimized and the bails are designed to be folded flat to permit the empty trays to be stacked one on top of another.
In the abovementioned patent to Nawman, et al., a metal bread carrier is disclosed having a pair of generally U-shaped carrying bails pivotally connected to the tray at pivot points spaced inwardly from the end walls of the tray. The bails have generally L-shaped leg members, the heels of which are nested in the corners of the tray when the bails are in an upright position. When the bails are folded down, the heels of the leg members protrude above the horizontal plane of the floor of the tray but do not protrude above the top edge of the peripheral wall. This latter arrangement was felt to be desirable to make the trays easy to stack.